The world after it's end
by ApollodoraTheExplorer
Summary: Sequel to the Hayao Miyazaki classic 'Mononoke Hime' or 'Princess Mononoke'. OK, yeah, I'm continuing, the next chapter is being written. Enjoy! Rated 'T' for when things get violent, which they will now that I've sorted out the full plot of the story.


**Author Note: **Don't know where I'll take this or even if I'm taking it anywhere tbh. Depends if there's any demand for it. The 'phenomenon' is a lunar eclipse which we just had tonight 3rd March 2007. enjoy!

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_**Midnight wolves**_

People are talking in the town. The moon disappeared, just over three hours ago. It rose in the evening, a proud, full moon in a glittering winter sky. But, now it's gone; only stars remain. The people in the Iron Town are frightened. Those who can remember the events that transpired five years back whisper amongst themselves of spirits, demons and gods.

A young man steps out of his house into the night. In an instant the sharp, cold air fills his lungs; forcing the last of his dark dreams from him and filling his mind with the now and here. The clouded nightmares of his youth fade like the steam of his breath in the night.

In less than a moment he spots her; standing on top of the mountain to the north, only two or three hundred metres short of where they parted, five years back. Now they meet there, as often as either of them can manage. She's waiting for him now.

As he slips between houses and along the thin streets he hears a sound, an ethereal noise, to pure and sorrowful to belong to any normal human. It is joined, moments later, by two great howls; a great tribute from the wolves. A voice, human this time, speaks from the young man's left side.

_Ashitaka, is it true? _Asks the woman, her voice high and tense. _Are the forest spirits cursing us?_

He sighs and shakes his head.

_No Toki, _He whispers. _It's not them. I don't know what or who is doing this. But, I'm going to see if the wolves know anything… Please, try and stop the people from panicking; there's nothing to fear._

He slips away, making use of the long shadows caused in the moon's absence. The long, ethereal howling sounds once more and is followed by the wolfs' howls again. He slips over the wall and across the precarious bridge; melting into the long, velvety shadows of the winter night…

Atop the frost-dusted mountain stands San, just below where the moon would be on a normal night. She stretches out her sun-bleached arms into the black and embraces the cold night as it envelops her. She breathes deeply and howls at the top of her lungs. Her two brothers join in moments later and the whole valley is filled with their calls. To her, this feeling is like no other: the night sky is the only thing above her and the whole world is stretched out below her. The two worlds intertwine and fuse. The stars scatter and cover the earth.

A voice calls from the world below her, calling her name and pulling her from the dream. Moments later Ashitaka joins her. They embrace, him whispering words of love and her whispering the ancient blessings of the spirits.

_It's so cold tonight, _He says. _What are you doing out here?_

She smiles, still half in her fantasy.

_I'm speaking to my mother in the spirit world… _She says, half whispering. _Listen…_

He strains his ears. Silence hangs in the frosty air for an eternity of moments until the wind kicks up again. The wind whistles through the newly-grown trees, sounding just like the howling of a great wolf. When the great howling sounds San and her brothers howl in return. The stars glimmer just a little brighter for a moment. San smiles deeply at Ashitaka, her eyes full of starlight.

_She's giving us her blessings, _She says. _I told her…_

_Told her? _Repeats the young man.

San smiles and places a war-scarred hand on her stomach. He gazes down and the news sinks in.

_The moon, _continues San. _Look._

The moon rises from the shadows of the sky, yellowish-red and brighter than all the stars put together. The two of them hold one another close.

_The moon is the guardian of the wolf clan…_


End file.
